Law Is A Thinking Profession, Not Just A Doing Job

Could you briefly introduce yourself?
Mustapha Shittu Mahuta Esq. is a Private Legal Practitioner and
Principal Managing Counsel of Messrs M. S. Mahuta & Co.
(Pinnacle Chambers) based in Katsina, Katsina State Branch of the
NBA. An Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
(ACIArb.) and Member Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM) He is
currently pursuing Masters Degree in Law at the Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria. Graduate of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
Nigeria. Attended Lagos Campus of the Nigerian Law School.

 What area (s) of law interests you.‎?

I would want to say that civil litigation is one aspect of the
law which I cherish the most. It’s to me what makes a good lawyer.
Civil lawsuits can be very interesting as it usually borders on
claims in which one person, company or entity sues another. Civil
lawsuits are fundamentally different from criminal aspects of the
law and it’s very broad in scope and very technical in terms of the
principles and rules governing each topic or aspect of it. In civil
lawsuits there is less pressure on the part of the Lawyer coming
from Clients especially when the client is under arrest at the
police station or prison. I don’t like the pressures i get from
Clients. I understand that the police as well as other law
enforcement agencies takes undue advantage of the unnecessary
delays in our administration of criminal justice system by friends
frustrating lawyer’s efforts at securing bail for his Client
suspected of crime in a given detention center. in Civil suits
endeared me the most, because they are not brought by a prosecutor,
attorney general or agent of the state, but instead are brought by
an individual or an entity (like a corporation). And so the
almighty power of the state apparatus and machineries are not
there. Another thing is that the remedies sought in civil lawsuits
are generally limited to monetary damages and declaratory or
injunctive reliefs. Nobody goes to prison for the most of the
times. Even though I am relatively still young in the profession, I
have reached a point in my career where I decided to be specific
about which clients I accept and what type of matters I want to be
involved with because I enjoy being able to do my cases thoroughly
and with understanding of the client’s interests and trying to meet
them within the bounds of the law and without unnecessary pressure
from any quarters.
‎
What do you like most about legal practice?‎

I love the creativity involved with handling virtually every
case or matter. Law is a thinking profession, not just a doing job.
I loved defending and protecting people in a court of law. I loved
the feeling of accomplishment I get from helping others fight—win
or lose. I usually feel pretty emotional whenever I represent
people who are either poor or vulnerable (with chills) I realize I
am being trusted to represent them on what they feel, what they
believe or what they are entitled to. And I take that very
seriously.

‎ Why do you choose to be a lawyer? ‎

I have been asked the question a million times. I am interested
in becoming a lawyer for several reasons. Although I didn’t choose
per say, to be a lawyer, but somehow through God’s divine plan I
found myself reading law. What actually happened was that after my
secondary education, I applied for an admission for remedial
studies at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. As God will
have it, I was given the admission to do remedial studies under the
school of art and not school of science to which I applied. I was
not surprised, this is because I had an ‘F’ in mathematics. I took
a bit of leap faith, left science and went to read art which turns
out to be a good choice for not only have I found an opportunity to
do away with maths which course I despise but also a platform that
would allow me to be an advocate and to constantly learn and grow.
I like to stand in for people more especially, the weak, the poor
and the honest who normally are at the receiving end in almost
everything that has to do with fighting for their rights and
interests.

As a science student before becoming a lawyer, my initial
ambition was to join the army but I could not. One reason I became
a lawyer is that I discovered that my strengths were in analyzing
problems and advising others. Being a lawyer can require a wide
range of skills and unexpected challenges. I am an organized person
and I like seeing people doing things in line with the law. So for
this, the study of law and learning about how an argument could be
made on both sides of any case also gave me the impetus to go for
the legal profession where I would have a lot of interaction with
others. Being a lawyer is a great opportunity to be an expert and
use your skills to make a difference to people’s lives. The law is
a fascinating and very interesting field of study. Positive impacts
can be made on a daily basis by lawyers. I also felt that the law
is an ever changing and dynamic field of study and therefore, makes
or prepared you ready to learn on a lifelong basis.

What is your most critical time in practice you had to
deal with?

I would say that my most critical time is during my first and
second year of pupilage. I had the impression that passing the bar
examination was the most difficult thing in our profession but it
later dawned on me that it is not. In fact I understand that one
has to keep struggling. I realized in a nutshell that, that was
just the beginning of my struggles in the profession. I also came
to understand that Senior or principal lawyers tends to find it
difficult to release money to their juniors in chambers. I remember
when I would sometimes had to borrow money to transport myself to
and fro the chambers. Another critical time was when I was to start
my law firm after 5 good years of pupilage. I never imagined how
difficult it is, setting up a law office. Even though I planned
ahead, I was not that very prepared for the stress. That experience
made me to understand that many senior lawyers that I know who
refused to start their law office was perhaps because it is too
hard and costly to establish and to maintain. It is also difficult
to get new clients immediately after establishing a law office. But
at the end you find that it pays to start one’s office to make your
mark on same.
‎
What do you think determines progress in
practice?

Humility, honesty, forbearance and hard work are the vehicle
that will carry you to succeed in your practice life. Being a
successful lawyer requires a combination of high intelligence,
strong analytical and advocacy skills and an ability to communicate
effectively (both verbally and in writing). To be successful,
typically you have develop a passion for a particular legal
speciality or practice area as an expert in that particular area
which fosters a high level of commitment to work. One also has to
understand his clients’ objectives, and advocate on that basis (not
on the law in isolation). Even if one is born with all of these
qualities and determined to pursue genuine expertise, you aren’t
guaranteed success, because at some point you will probably have to
market your “greatness” and promote yourself.
‎
‎ What are your outside interests and
hobbies?‎

Traveling is the apex of all my hobbies. I like playing and
watching soccer. I also like being in the social media where I can
know what’s trending and also gain information, knowledge and
socialize with new people. I also really enjoy reading, writing,
and analysis.
‎
‎Have you ever benefited from your
‎disappointment/mistakes?

Oh yes! I benefitted from the disappointment of not getting
admission to read sciences in the school of matriculation studies
UDU Sokoto where I was instead given admission under the school of
arts and eventually admitted into the faculty of law. And many more
too numerous to be mentioned here.

 Could you tell us your experience as a young
lawyer ?

From my little experience, I realized that even though there are
lots of lawyers out there, there were very few lawyers that really
know how to try cases and frankly, very few who even want to. This
remains as true today and this applies to almost all areas of
general litigation and corporate practice, not just what people
like to call ‘charge and bail’ practice. These experiences taught
me something important. It doesn’t matter how many lawyers are out
there. It doesn’t matter how many lawyers directly compete with
you. Once you’ve proved that you can get results even on tough
cases, then you have something that very few other lawyers have.
You have something that makes you different from all the other
lawyers. My very first trial, about three months after I passed the
bar exam, was a complete disaster. I had no idea what I was doing.
No lawyer just wakes up one day and knows how to do all of cases.
It requires dedicated study. So much of what we do is not
intuitive. It’s a bit of the two; partly science and partly art. It
almost all has to be learned. You have to dedicate the time to
learn and also be in court observing senior lawyers doing their
cases and reading copy of any court process prepared either by
senior lawyers.

Who has been most influential in your life?

I am heavily influenced by my late elder sister, Nafisat Shittu
Mahuta. Growing up, I saw my late elder sister as a pillar where I
can always lean on for support, love and encouragement. It is also
because of her that I was able to pay my law school registration
fees. She had ti take a bank loan just to see that I progress in my
career m. She has taught me to be passionate about everything and
to never give up. May Allah have mercy on her soul.

Your word of encouragement to up coming lawyers
‎?

And if there is any advice I can give to young lawyers, it is
this: you must invest in yourself, and make this investment in
yourself your top priority. No matter how busy you are, and no
matter how many hours you work. You must invest in your self.

Could you briefly introduce yourself?
Mustapha Shittu Mahuta Esq. is a Private Legal Practitioner and
Principal Managing Counsel of Messrs M. S. Mahuta & Co.
(Pinnacle Chambers) based in Katsina, Katsina State Branch of the
NBA. An Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
(ACIArb.) and Member Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM) He is
currently pursuing Masters Degree in Law at the Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria. Graduate of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
Nigeria. Attended Lagos Campus of the Nigerian Law School.

 What area (s) of law interests you.‎?

I would want to say that civil litigation is one aspect of the
law which I cherish the most. It’s to me what makes a good lawyer.
Civil lawsuits can be very interesting as it usually borders on
claims in which one person, company or entity sues another. Civil
lawsuits are fundamentally different from criminal aspects of the
law and it’s very broad in scope and very technical in terms of the
principles and rules governing each topic or aspect of it. In civil
lawsuits there is less pressure on the part of the Lawyer coming
from Clients especially when the client is under arrest at the
police station or prison. I don’t like the pressures i get from
Clients. I understand that the police as well as other law
enforcement agencies takes undue advantage of the unnecessary
delays in our administration of criminal justice system by friends
frustrating lawyer’s efforts at securing bail for his Client
suspected of crime in a given detention center. in Civil suits
endeared me the most, because they are not brought by a prosecutor,
attorney general or agent of the state, but instead are brought by
an individual or an entity (like a corporation). And so the
almighty power of the state apparatus and machineries are not
there. Another thing is that the remedies sought in civil lawsuits
are generally limited to monetary damages and declaratory or
injunctive reliefs. Nobody goes to prison for the most of the
times. Even though I am relatively still young in the profession, I
have reached a point in my career where I decided to be specific
about which clients I accept and what type of matters I want to be
involved with because I enjoy being able to do my cases thoroughly
and with understanding of the client’s interests and trying to meet
them within the bounds of the law and without unnecessary pressure
from any quarters.
‎
What do you like most about legal practice?‎

I love the creativity involved with handling virtually every
case or matter. Law is a thinking profession, not just a doing job.
I loved defending and protecting people in a court of law. I loved
the feeling of accomplishment I get from helping others fight—win
or lose. I usually feel pretty emotional whenever I represent
people who are either poor or vulnerable (with chills) I realize I
am being trusted to represent them on what they feel, what they
believe or what they are entitled to. And I take that very
seriously.

‎ Why do you choose to be a lawyer? ‎

I have been asked the question a million times. I am interested
in becoming a lawyer for several reasons. Although I didn’t choose
per say, to be a lawyer, but somehow through God’s divine plan I
found myself reading law. What actually happened was that after my
secondary education, I applied for an admission for remedial
studies at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. As God will
have it, I was given the admission to do remedial studies under the
school of art and not school of science to which I applied. I was
not surprised, this is because I had an ‘F’ in mathematics. I took
a bit of leap faith, left science and went to read art which turns
out to be a good choice for not only have I found an opportunity to
do away with maths which course I despise but also a platform that
would allow me to be an advocate and to constantly learn and grow.
I like to stand in for people more especially, the weak, the poor
and the honest who normally are at the receiving end in almost
everything that has to do with fighting for their rights and
interests.

As a science student before becoming a lawyer, my initial
ambition was to join the army but I could not. One reason I became
a lawyer is that I discovered that my strengths were in analyzing
problems and advising others. Being a lawyer can require a wide
range of skills and unexpected challenges. I am an organized person
and I like seeing people doing things in line with the law. So for
this, the study of law and learning about how an argument could be
made on both sides of any case also gave me the impetus to go for
the legal profession where I would have a lot of interaction with
others. Being a lawyer is a great opportunity to be an expert and
use your skills to make a difference to people’s lives. The law is
a fascinating and very interesting field of study. Positive impacts
can be made on a daily basis by lawyers. I also felt that the law
is an ever changing and dynamic field of study and therefore, makes
or prepared you ready to learn on a lifelong basis.

What is your most critical time in practice you had to
deal with?

I would say that my most critical time is during my first and
second year of pupilage. I had the impression that passing the bar
examination was the most difficult thing in our profession but it
later dawned on me that it is not. In fact I understand that one
has to keep struggling. I realized in a nutshell that, that was
just the beginning of my struggles in the profession. I also came
to understand that Senior or principal lawyers tends to find it
difficult to release money to their juniors in chambers. I remember
when I would sometimes had to borrow money to transport myself to
and fro the chambers. Another critical time was when I was to start
my law firm after 5 good years of pupilage. I never imagined how
difficult it is, setting up a law office. Even though I planned
ahead, I was not that very prepared for the stress. That experience
made me to understand that many senior lawyers that I know who
refused to start their law office was perhaps because it is too
hard and costly to establish and to maintain. It is also difficult
to get new clients immediately after establishing a law office. But
at the end you find that it pays to start one’s office to make your
mark on same.
‎
What do you think determines progress in
practice?

Humility, honesty, forbearance and hard work are the vehicle
that will carry you to succeed in your practice life. Being a
successful lawyer requires a combination of high intelligence,
strong analytical and advocacy skills and an ability to communicate
effectively (both verbally and in writing). To be successful,
typically you have develop a passion for a particular legal
speciality or practice area as an expert in that particular area
which fosters a high level of commitment to work. One also has to
understand his clients’ objectives, and advocate on that basis (not
on the law in isolation). Even if one is born with all of these
qualities and determined to pursue genuine expertise, you aren’t
guaranteed success, because at some point you will probably have to
market your “greatness” and promote yourself.
‎
‎ What are your outside interests and
hobbies?‎

Traveling is the apex of all my hobbies. I like playing and
watching soccer. I also like being in the social media where I can
know what’s trending and also gain information, knowledge and
socialize with new people. I also really enjoy reading, writing,
and analysis.
‎
‎Have you ever benefited from your
‎disappointment/mistakes?

Oh yes! I benefitted from the disappointment of not getting
admission to read sciences in the school of matriculation studies
UDU Sokoto where I was instead given admission under the school of
arts and eventually admitted into the faculty of law. And many more
too numerous to be mentioned here.

 Could you tell us your experience as a young
lawyer ?

From my little experience, I realized that even though there are
lots of lawyers out there, there were very few lawyers that really
know how to try cases and frankly, very few who even want to. This
remains as true today and this applies to almost all areas of
general litigation and corporate practice, not just what people
like to call ‘charge and bail’ practice. These experiences taught
me something important. It doesn’t matter how many lawyers are out
there. It doesn’t matter how many lawyers directly compete with
you. Once you’ve proved that you can get results even on tough
cases, then you have something that very few other lawyers have.
You have something that makes you different from all the other
lawyers. My very first trial, about three months after I passed the
bar exam, was a complete disaster. I had no idea what I was doing.
No lawyer just wakes up one day and knows how to do all of cases.
It requires dedicated study. So much of what we do is not
intuitive. It’s a bit of the two; partly science and partly art. It
almost all has to be learned. You have to dedicate the time to
learn and also be in court observing senior lawyers doing their
cases and reading copy of any court process prepared either by
senior lawyers.

Who has been most influential in your life?

I am heavily influenced by my late elder sister, Nafisat Shittu
Mahuta. Growing up, I saw my late elder sister as a pillar where I
can always lean on for support, love and encouragement. It is also
because of her that I was able to pay my law school registration
fees. She had ti take a bank loan just to see that I progress in my
career m. She has taught me to be passionate about everything and
to never give up. May Allah have mercy on her soul.

Your word of encouragement to up coming lawyers
‎?

And if there is any advice I can give to young lawyers, it is
this: you must invest in yourself, and make this investment in
yourself your top priority. No matter how busy you are, and no
matter how many hours you work. You must invest in your self.